Former Johannesburg mayor, Herman Mashaba, has attributed his successes in business to the late business icon Dr Richard Maponya.

Mashaba was speaking at Maponya’s memorial service which is under way at the Rosebank Union Church in Sandton, north of Johannesburg.

The founding member of NAFCOC died on Monday morning at a hospital in Johannesburg after a short illness at the age of 99.

He started his business empire in Soweto in the 1950s.

Maponya’s business interests included retail stores, car dealerships and property development.

Mashaba says Maponya led by example.

“Dr Maponya sparked a desire in me to follow in his footsteps and established myself as a pioneering businessman. I can say that with confidence that I am a man because of the examples set by Dr Maponya.”

“Dr Maponya demonstrated to so many of us aspiring black entrepreneurs that if we worked hard we would overcome oppression and make a success of ourselves.”

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